Being a woman.
What does it mean? Is there truly a unique definition we can apply to all women? I strongly believe there is not. Women are plural. And so should be the definition of womanhood. Every woman should be able to discover and embody its own personal definition.
Still, the social construct of womanhood exists. And it begins in the womb. Before we are even born, society is expecting somethings from us. It is expecting us, girls, and women, to like certain hobbies, to show some personality traits, to look a certain way, to follow a certain life path. A lot of us have also learned, from a very young age, not to take too much space. Not to speak too loudly. Not to disrupt.
And it may be hard to look past that. The urge to fit into that mold, to stay within those boundaries, can sometimes be so strong. We believe by blending in and following the rules we will feel safe and accepted. And so, we might dim our light. Stop listening to our intuition. Disconnect from our essence. Drift away from our true self.
Of course, it can be challenging and scary (even unsafe) to pursue our own goals and dreams and become the woman we desire to be, especially if those stand outside womanhood’s perceived expectations. On the other hand, staying within those expectations and embracing a more traditional role may also raise some eyebrows.
However, denying ourselves what our soul wants - our true calling - is far from sustainable or healthy for our well-being. And not showing the world our true self can only give us a fake feeling of acceptance.
So, I say let’s dare to seek within ourselves who it is that we truly deeply desire to be. Let’s dare to sit with ourselves and dig deep within our heart, mind, and soul to find out who we are when we stop listening to others, when we stop comparing ourselves, when we stop being afraid to disrupt, to speak too loudly, to take too much space. Let’s dare to find out who we are when we stop dimming our light, start listening to our intuition, reconnect to our essence and return to our true self.
Easier said than done you might say. I can’t deny. So, I invite you to find a way to just let yourself be. For me, it’s spending time with nature and connecting with animals. What is it that nourishes you, your essence? Find something that sparks joy, meaning, that connects you to your inner truth, give yourself time to practice it regularly and allow yourself to reflect. Answers will flow.
As a mother, my wish is to succeed in modeling this posture for my daughters. That they fiercely and lovingly follow their inner compass and become the person they chose to be in the world.
Today is International Women’s Day. A day to celebrate women in all their diversity, also a moment to acknowledge and honor the women warriors before us.
May we carry on their legacy by empowering ourselves to find our truth and nurture it.
Stacey, Co-founder
